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Mar 16, 2019

Kevin McLean was our featured performer for the March gathering. Kevin wowed the crowd with several selections by the late Andrew Bonar, toe-tapping jigs and reels, and a beautiful piobaireachd. Remember the handwritten scores in the 125-year-old book of music Colin MacKenzie brought to the January meeting? Kevin memorized the ones written about Oregon from the pictures published on the OPS website--The Highlands of Oregon and The Glens of Oregon. And because the first was a march and the second a strathspey, he composed a reel called "The Lochs of Oregon." It was AMAZING! If you missed his performance, you missed hearing one of the most outstanding pipers of North America.

First he judged the 18 competitors....

Kevin compliments Shara Maikranz on her performance.

...and then we got to judge him!

Gold medal performance all the way!!

Eila Chisholm with Portland Highland Dancers Stella and Gabrielle announces a fundraiser for
the dancers to compete in Canada. For more details, visit their website.

DRAM and GO was the featured Band

The band formed in 2014 and performs regularly at pubs, festivals, and private events. Micah has an extensive background in piping that includes solo competitions and pipe bands, as well as more unusual projects such as guitar-driven rock groups, Texas-based Renaissance Faire band Tartanic, Taiko drummers, and a Balanese Gamelan. Anton Emery is a masterful guitarist acclaimed for his stunning arrangements of Celtic music. Playing finger-style on a steel-string acoustic guitar, he performs a body of music traditionally performed on fiddle, flute, and bagpipes, giving it a fresh voice while losing none of its rhythm, feel, and magical quality.

Anton and Micah played from their new CD released in October 2018.

Nathan Wahlgren was the Local Hero

Nate is a Grade 1 piper who also plays with the Grade 2 Portland Metro Pipe Band. He teaches piping from his home in Corvallis, Oregon. He can be found helping students tune their pipes and giving moral support before competitions. Not only IS he a master of the bagpipes, he HAS a Masters Degree in Nuclear Engineering. He keeps us safe from nuclear reactors AND from badly-tuned bagpipes.

Thank you, Nate!

BUT FIRST there were the EIGHTEEN competitors!

Grayson Goodman took 1st place in the Chanter Class.

Truin Tomasetti took 2nd place.

Imanuel Walker at his first competition of the year.

Sarah Campbell competed in Grade 5.

Joonas Martin stands on deck with Steward Deb Lyon.

Joonas Martin took 1st place in Grade 5.

Debbie and Steve Fowler watch the competition with Deb Lyon.

Christina Henderson in her Grade 5 competition.

Doug Eaton shares a laugh before his performance.

Doug's slow air earned him a 3rd place finish in Grade 5.

Shara prepares for her slow air.

Shara Maikranz received 2nd place in Grade 5.

Steve Fowler competes in Grade 4.

Tim Riddle records every time he plays in competition--now you know his secret to getting a 1st place in Grade 4!

Robert Johnston made the trip north
from Medford to compete in Grade 4.

Jayne Ferlitsch takes a break from being
the Competition Coordinator...